From JuJu with Love

Wherever we land, we laugh

Some friendships arrive quietly and then, without warning, become your safest place. For me, that circle is Nancy, Helene, Susan — and me. The four of us somehow found each other through travel, and before we knew it, we were planning annual trips just for us. No big agenda, no pressure — just time together.

When the world finally opened up after the pandemic, they came to Michigan to visit me. I wanted to show them my world — from Detroit to Mackinac Island, the places that made me who I am. We wandered Mackinac Island, ate far too much fudge, and rode through the island in a horse-drawn carriage like time had paused just for us. I took them to Harbor Springs, my happy place, and we shopped our way through Petoskey. We drove to Frankenmuth for dinner at Zehnder’s, because some experiences are simply meant to be shared. In Ann Arbor, I introduced them to the university that shaped me as a young adult, and in Detroit we spent a day at the DIA soaking in art, followed by a Ford factory tour — a little history, a little grit, a lot of laughter.

The next year, we traded Michigan for sunshine and met in Puerto Vallarta at Susan’s condo — a week of sun, sand, cocktails, and the kind of laughter that only comes when you’re with people who know you well. Last summer, we met in Canada to celebrate my 60th birthday — standing together at Niagara Falls, exploring Toronto, and marking a milestone surrounded by women who feel more like sisters than friends.

We had already started talking about what might come next. Now the next trip is officially on the calendar. In a few weeks, the four of us are heading to Charleston and Savannah—another destination, another adventure, and undoubtedly another collection of stories we’ll be laughing about for years.

The reservations are made, the itinerary is taking shape, and if history is any indication, at least a few things will go hilariously off-script.

But one thing is already certain. Wherever we land, there will be laughter, incredible food, drinks that last longer than planned, and the kind of sisterhood that doesn’t depend on geography — only on showing up for each other.

Some people collect destinations.

I’ve been lucky enough to collect girlfriends.

From Juju with love 💙✈️